Nullsoft: Difference between revisions
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'''Nullsoft, Inc.''' was | '''Nullsoft, Inc.''' was an American [[software house]] founded in [[Sedona, Arizona]] in 1997 by programmer [[Justin Frankel]]. Its products included the [[Winamp]] [[media player (application software)|media player]] and the [[SHOUTcast]] [[MP3]] [[streaming media]] server. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
In 1997, [[Justin Frankel]], a programmer from [[Sedona, Arizona]], founded Nullsoft, Inc in his home town. The company's name is a [[parody]] of [[Microsoft]].<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine |first= David |last= Kushner |date= January 13, 2004 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070321025028/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |title= The World's Most Dangerous Geek |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |archivedate=March 21, 2007 |url-status= dead |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref> ''Mike the Llama'' is the company's [[mascot]].{{efn|this is frequently referred to in promotional material (especially for Winamp) citing [[llama]]s. Frankel introduced the llama in Winamp's startup sound clip, inspired by the lyrics of [[Wesley Willis]]: "Winamp, it really whips the llama's ass!"<ref name="RS" />}} The company launched the media player [[Winamp]] | In 1997, [[Justin Frankel]], a programmer from [[Sedona, Arizona]], founded Nullsoft, Inc in his home town. The company's name is a [[parody]] of [[Microsoft]].<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine |first= David |last= Kushner |date= January 13, 2004 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070321025028/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |title= The World's Most Dangerous Geek |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |archivedate=March 21, 2007 |url-status= dead |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref> ''Mike the Llama'' is the company's [[mascot]].{{efn|this is frequently referred to in promotional material (especially for Winamp) citing [[llama]]s. Frankel introduced the llama in Winamp's startup sound clip, inspired by the lyrics of [[Wesley Willis]]: "Winamp, it really whips the llama's ass!"<ref name="RS" />}} The company launched the media player [[Winamp]] that year, developed by Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev. It was the second [[real-time computing|real-time]] MP3 player for Windows, following [[WinPlay3]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.silicon.co.uk/mobility/mobile-apps/tales-tech-history-winamp-220495|title = Tales in Tech History: Winamp|date = August 25, 2017}}</ref> | ||
Nullsoft, along with [[Spinner.com]], | Nullsoft, along with [[Spinner.com]], was sold to [[AOL|America Online]] (AOL) on June 1, 1999, for around $400 million. It became an AOL [[subsidiary]], subsequently becoming a division of AOL Music. Its headquarters were moved to [[San Francisco, California]].<ref name="Mook-2004">{{Cite news |last=Mook |first=Nate |date= November 10, 2004 |url=http://betanews.com/2004/11/10/death-knell-sounds-for-nullsoft-winamp/ |title= Death Knell Sounds for Nullsoft, Winamp |publisher= Betanews |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Krigel |first=Beth |date=1999-06-01 |title=AOL buys Spinner, Nullsoft for $400 million |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-226540.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208082243/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-226540.html |archive-date=2013-12-08 |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=CNET}}</ref> | ||
According to [[Bonnie Burton]], then editor of the website Winamp.com, 2001 was a period of heightened tension between the Nullsoft staff and upper management, because of Frankel's uncompromising views about file-sharing. He had developed [[Gnutella]] in 2000 and released it using company infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Bonnie |title=Waving goodbye to Winamp, paying respects to Nullsoft |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/waving-goodbye-to-winamp-paying-respects-to-nullsoft/ |website=CNET |access-date=14 April 2024 |language=en |date=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Harmon |first1=Amy |title=Technology; Free Music Software May Have Rattled AOL |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/20/business/technology-free-music-software-may-have-rattled-aol.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=14 April 2024 |date=20 March 2000}}</ref> Ars Technica also noted that AOL failed to effectively monetize or find a larger audience for Winamp.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farivar |first=Cyrus |date=2017-07-03 |title=Winamp's woes: How the greatest MP3 player undid itself |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/winamp-how-greatest-mp3-player-undid-itself/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Nullsoft's San Francisco offices were closed in December 2003, with a near-concurrent departure of Frankel and the original Winamp development team.<ref name="RS" /><ref name="Mook-2004" /> In 2013, some AOL Music sites were shut down and others sold to [[Townsquare Media]].<ref>{{Cite news |title= Townsquare Media Acquires Some Doomed AOL Music Sites And Comics Alliance |first= Josh |last= Constine |date= June 2, 2013 |url= https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/02/townsquare-media-acquires-shuttered-aol-music-sites-and-comicsalliance/ |publisher=[[Techcrunch]] |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title= AOL shuts down music-related services |publisher= CNET News |date= April 26, 2013 |first= Charles |last= Cooper |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57581661-93/aol-shuts-down-music-related-services/ |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title= Radio chain picks up pared-down AOL music sites |publisher= CNET News |date= June 3, 2013 |first= Joan E. |last=Solsman |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57587311-93/radio-chain-picks-up-pared-down-aol-music-sites/ |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref> | According to [[Bonnie Burton]], then editor of the website Winamp.com, 2001 was a period of heightened tension between the Nullsoft staff and upper management, because of Frankel's uncompromising views about file-sharing. He had developed [[Gnutella]] in 2000 and released it using company infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Bonnie |title=Waving goodbye to Winamp, paying respects to Nullsoft |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/waving-goodbye-to-winamp-paying-respects-to-nullsoft/ |website=CNET |access-date=14 April 2024 |language=en |date=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Harmon |first1=Amy |title=Technology; Free Music Software May Have Rattled AOL |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/20/business/technology-free-music-software-may-have-rattled-aol.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=14 April 2024 |date=20 March 2000}}</ref> Ars Technica also noted that AOL failed to effectively monetize or find a larger audience for Winamp.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farivar |first=Cyrus |date=2017-07-03 |title=Winamp's woes: How the greatest MP3 player undid itself |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/winamp-how-greatest-mp3-player-undid-itself/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Nullsoft's San Francisco offices were closed in December 2003, with a near-concurrent departure of Frankel and the original Winamp development team.<ref name="RS" /><ref name="Mook-2004" /> In 2013, some AOL Music sites were shut down and others sold to [[Townsquare Media]].<ref>{{Cite news |title= Townsquare Media Acquires Some Doomed AOL Music Sites And Comics Alliance |first= Josh |last= Constine |date= June 2, 2013 |url= https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/02/townsquare-media-acquires-shuttered-aol-music-sites-and-comicsalliance/ |publisher=[[Techcrunch]] |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title= AOL shuts down music-related services |publisher= CNET News |date= April 26, 2013 |first= Charles |last= Cooper |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57581661-93/aol-shuts-down-music-related-services/ |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title= Radio chain picks up pared-down AOL music sites |publisher= CNET News |date= June 3, 2013 |first= Joan E. |last=Solsman |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57587311-93/radio-chain-picks-up-pared-down-aol-music-sites/ |accessdate= June 7, 2013}}</ref> | ||
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=== Nullsoft Scriptable Install System === | === Nullsoft Scriptable Install System === | ||
{{Section-stub|date=April 2025}} | {{Section-stub|date=April 2025}} | ||
In later years, their open source installer system, the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) became an alternative to commercial products like [[InstallShield]], [[InnoSetup]], InstallSimple and | In later years, their open source installer system, the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) became an alternative to commercial products like [[InstallShield]], [[InnoSetup]], InstallSimple, InstallAware and Advanced Installer.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cimpanu |first1=Catalin |title=Trend: Ransomware Hidden in NSIS Installers Harder to Detect |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/trend-ransomware-hidden-in-nsis-installers-harder-to-detect/ |website=[[Bleeping Computer]] |access-date=14 April 2024 |language=en-us |date=March 16, 2017}}</ref> In January 2006, NSIS was named ''Project of the Month'' by [[SourceForge]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Community |date=2006-01-01 |title=Project of the Month, January 2006 |url=https://sourceforge.net/blog/potm-2006-01/ |access-date=2025-10-09 |website=SourceForge Community Blog |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
=== Other === | === Other === | ||
Latest revision as of 12:02, 9 October 2025
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Nullsoft, Inc. was an American software house founded in Sedona, Arizona in 1997 by programmer Justin Frankel. Its products included the Winamp media player and the SHOUTcast MP3 streaming media server.
History
In 1997, Justin Frankel, a programmer from Sedona, Arizona, founded Nullsoft, Inc in his home town. The company's name is a parody of Microsoft.[1] Mike the Llama is the company's mascot.Template:Efn The company launched the media player Winamp that year, developed by Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev. It was the second real-time MP3 player for Windows, following WinPlay3.[2]
Nullsoft, along with Spinner.com, was sold to America Online (AOL) on June 1, 1999, for around $400 million. It became an AOL subsidiary, subsequently becoming a division of AOL Music. Its headquarters were moved to San Francisco, California.[3][4]
According to Bonnie Burton, then editor of the website Winamp.com, 2001 was a period of heightened tension between the Nullsoft staff and upper management, because of Frankel's uncompromising views about file-sharing. He had developed Gnutella in 2000 and released it using company infrastructure.[5][6] Ars Technica also noted that AOL failed to effectively monetize or find a larger audience for Winamp.[7] Nullsoft's San Francisco offices were closed in December 2003, with a near-concurrent departure of Frankel and the original Winamp development team.[1][3] In 2013, some AOL Music sites were shut down and others sold to Townsquare Media.[8][9][10]
In November 2013, an unofficial report surfaced that Microsoft was in talks with AOL to acquire Nullsoft.[11] On January 14, 2014, it was officially announced that Belgian online radio aggregator Radionomy had bought Winamp and Shoutcast, formerly owned by Nullsoft. No financial details were publicly announced.[12][13]
Software
Winamp
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Winamp is a media player released by Nullsoft in April 1997. By 1999, it was downloaded by 15 million people.[1] The company released several new versions of the Winamp player and grew its monthly unique subscriber base to 60 million users by late 2004.[3] Winamp was discontinued by Nullsoft around 2013.[14] New versions of Winamp, which started releasing in 2023, are by a different developer named Llama Group.[15]
SHOUTcast
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". SHOUTcast (currently Shoutcast) is an MP3 streaming media server.
Nullsoft Scriptable Install System
Script error: No such module "Unsubst". In later years, their open source installer system, the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) became an alternative to commercial products like InstallShield, InnoSetup, InstallSimple, InstallAware and Advanced Installer.[16] In January 2006, NSIS was named Project of the Month by SourceForge.[17]
Other
Nullsoft's developments after acquisition included the Nullsoft Streaming Video (NSV) format, which was intended to stream media that used any audio or video codec. In 2002, the press reported a technology called Ultravox being developed by Nullsoft.[18] The company also created the peer-to-peer networks Gnutella and WASTE.[1] Although AOL tried to limit the distribution of Gnutella and WASTE, the Ultravox technology was reportedly used for some AOL radio services in 2003.[19] A service called Nullsoft Television was announced in 2003 using NSV.[20]
Notes
References
External links
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